Shaded screen



Jan- 29, 1952 w. G. DWINELL Erm. 2,583,824

SHADED SCREEN 2 SI-IEETS-SHEET l Filed March 4, 1950 Jam 29, 1952 w. G. DWINLL. Erm. 2,583,824

SHADED SCREEN Filed March 4, 1950 2 S-IEETS-Sl-IEET 2 Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- e snrnnn sonnen' William G.- Dwinennnaianapulis, Ina., and

g John-.Howard Orth, Ames, Iowa,

Application Marcin, 1950; SerialNo. 147,738 comme. (ci. 4uso-em Our invention relates to a shaded screenthatlis designed to clearly reiiect a projected image without having to darken the room or surroundings in which the screen and projector are placed.

The principal object of this invention is to provide with an image screen of the type mounted on a spring loaded shaft roller and arranged within an elongated housing, a light impervious curtain that isl also mounted on the same roller with the image screen and which curtain in its operable position is designed to have a top horizontal portion and two si'de flap portions to box in the image screen on three sides and thereby prevent any direct light other than from the projector from reaching the screen.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shaded screen of the above class that `is made into a single compact unit-capableof being stored within the screen housing when notin use or for transporting.

A still further objectJ of our invention is -to provide a shaded screen as above describedwherein the withdrawal of the light impervious curtain automatically withdraws the image sereeni which drops into vertical position due to gravity andthe curtain can be easily and quickly secured in its operable position to supporting bracket" arms mounted on the housing.

Still another object of this invention is toprovide a screen as we havecharacterized that is economical in manufacture, durable in use, light in weight and easy to transporter store'.-

These and other objects will bey apparentto those skilled in the art.

Our invention consistsinA the construction, ar'- rangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more full-yse't forth, pointed out in our claims, andu illustrated in the accompanyingr drawings, in whiclr Fig. 1 is a perspective view of our'lght' impervious curtain extended from an image screen housing and ready for use,

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of this shadedscreen in closed position within the housing and showing the supporting arms for the` curtain in partially open position,

Fig. 3 is a front View of-thisf device taken from the line 3--3 of Fig. l,

Fig. 4is a fragmentary top view= ofone end' of the housing and one bracket support arm taken from the line Il iI of Fig. 1 and showing a portion of the housing cut away tomore fullyillustrate the spring loaded shaft roller therein,

2 joining one bracket supporti arm to' the housing taken from the lineE-E of Fig. 4, and

Fig.v 6 is a cross-sectional View of the roller of Fig. 1 showing the image screen and upper portion of the light impervious curtain shield secured to the same roller;

There. are different type shaded screens on the market that are used when. projecting. slides or motion pictures in roomsoi' surroundings thatare not darkened. However', the operation of. the image screen'. and curtain shields are usually independent of each other andY reduire more than one roller. Our invention. embodies the use'l of only afsingle roller for both. the screen. and shield and. not only simplies the construction of` this device but provides a more. compact unit for transporting or storage.

Referring. now to the drawingsY We have used the numeral IIIto designate an elongated housing` having a slit opening extending along. :its longitudinal axis between its ends. Rotatably mountied within the housing is a. spring. loaded shaft roller I I that continuously providestension in one direction. A flexible image curtainor screenv |12 is-secured along its rear edge to theroller H in any's'uitable manner as shown. ini Fig. 6` and iside"- signed to be rolled thereonwhen-.not in...use, as shown iti-Fig. 2.` The. numeral I3 designatesthe top of alilexible curtain-shield that isf impervious to light and which has the two iiexible sidel flap portions III and I5 asillustrated in Figs. 1 andlB'. Each of the flaps I4 and` I5 has suitably placed snaps I6y so that theycan` be folded fiat against the top I3 and securedto thelsnaps Il thereon. As shown in Fig. l the snap |61 atthe lowrleftof the flap I4 and the:corresponding-snapoiithe flap I5vwill fasten to a snap approximatelyat tliefre'ar centerunderside of the top I3 whichis not shown. The top I3 of the light. impervious curtainlissecured along its rear edge to thev roller II iii" a like manner-'as the screen lf2 and above the screen asshown in Fig. 6'. Obviously-when' this deviceis closed. the naps I4 and I5 will be snapped to the top I3 so that it will easilyroll up on the shaft roller.

The forward free edge of the top I3` is turned `back uponitself and secured in any'suitable manner such as by the stitching I`8` to provide the elongated loop passageway I9 in which there is placed a stop rod 29 that extends outwardly from each end of the passagewayv ISfaSshoWninFig'.1.

On each end of the housing I- there is secured a bar' bracket 2|. Theseeach extend slightly'forwa'rdlyof the housing opposite the slit opening and the "forward end of eachu bracket is curved back upon itself to provide the eye 22. The numeral 23 designates a pair of elongated support arms that are-each channel shaped in cross-section. Each arm 23 respectively is pivotally secured at one end to one of the eyes 22 by means of a pin 24 as shown in Fig. 5. The other end of each`arm is provided with a U- shaped slot 24. Thus mounted the arms 23 are capable of being folded against the housing or extended as shown in Fig. 1. Because of the channel construction on the arms they will extend only to a point that is substantially at right angles to the housing due to the fact that at this point the brackets 2I will engage the channel side of the arms and thus servev as a stop means against further outwardly swinging of'th'e arms as shown in Fig. 4. In construction, one arm 23 is slightly smaller in cross-section than the other so that in closed position when they are folded inwardly against the housing, the end portion of the larger arm will frictionally embrace the end portion of the smaller arm and thereby serve to hold the arms in closed position when this device is being transported or stored.

A pair of spaced apart support brackets 25 are secured to the back of the housing iB and each bracket has an opening 26 so that this screen can be suspended from wall hooks at times.

Thus constructed and arranged our shaded screen will operate as follows. Normally, the spring loaded roller II will keep the screen S2 .and light impervious curtain Wound up within the'housing I0 as shown in Fig. 2. In this Yposition the end portions of the stop rod 2li will engage the edges of each end of the housing to prevent the curtain shield from becoming completely encased within the housing. The housing can be suspended from hooks on a wall or the 4like by means of the brackets 25. The support arms 23 are then opened to the position shown -in Fig. 1 and the top I3 of the curtain shield is manually pulled outwardly to a point where each end of the stop rod 20 can be inserted in one of the slots 24 on the end of each arm 23. In this position4 because of the tensionof the spring loaded roller and its tendency to return the curtainA to --its rolled up position, the curtain shield will obviously be held taut. It is pointed out that as the curtain shield is manually pulled outwardly, the image curtain screen I I will automatically be withdrawn, since it is secured to the same roller as the shield, and it will drop by gravity to its operable position shown in Fig. 3. The side flaps I4 and I5 are then unsnapped so they will hang downwardly whereby the image screen will be boxed in on three sides by the curtain shield. On each end at the bottom of the image screen a snap 2 is provided which can be fastened to the snaps I6 on the sides I4 and I5 when this screen is in operable position to hold the sides closely adjacent the ends of the image curtain for the purpose of restricting the passage of light onto the screen.

To return the screen and shield to closed position it is only necessary to snap the side iiaps of the shield to the top portion thereof and manually withdraw the stop rod from the slots in the supporting arms. The tension on the roller will then return both the screen and the shield to the position shown in Fig. 2. The varms can then be folded against the housing as previously described. y p

Some changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of our shadowV screen without departing from the real spirit and purpose inside said housing, a ilexible imag-e curtain having one end secured to said roller shaft and its free end extendable through said slit opening of said housing at times, a light impervious curtain secured at one end to said shaft roller above said image curtain and having its free end extendable through said slit opening at times, an

elongated stop rod secured to said light impervious curtain adjacent its free end with each end portion of said rod extending outwardly from the sides of said impervious curtain, a pair of elongated support arms pivotally secured respectively by an end to the ends of said housing and each of said arms having a slot on its other end; said arms capable of being moved outwardly from said housing to a point where the end portions respectively of said stop rod can be engaged in one of the slots on said arms and thereby support said light impervious curtain in extended position from said housing, and a light impervious curtain at each of the two marginal edges of said second mentioned curtain extending downwardly therefrom when in effective position.

2. In a device of the class described, an elongated housing having a longitudinal slit opening, a spring loaded shaft roller rotatably mounted inside said housing. a flexible image curtain having one end secured to said roller shaft and its free end extendable through said slit opening of said housing at times, a light impervious curtain secured at one end to said shaft roller above said image curtain and having its free end extendable through said slit opening at times; each of said curtains simultaneously extendable so that when said curtains are extended through said opening, said rst mentioned curtain will automatically drop to its effective position due to gravity, an elongated stop rod secured to said light impervious curtain adjacent its free end with each end portion of said rod extending outwardly from the sides of said impervious curtain, a pair of elongated support arms pivotally secured respectively by an end to the ends of said housing and each of said arms having a slot on its other end; said arms capable of being moved outwardly from said housing to a point where the end portions respectively of said stop rod can be engaged in one of the slots on said arms and thereby support said light impervious curtain in extended position from said housing, and a light impervious curtain at each of the two marginal edges of said second mentioned curtain extending downwardly therefrom when in effective position, and said third mentioned curtains capable of being folded iiat against said second mentioned curtain and detachably secured thereto at times.

3. In a device of the class described, an elongated housing having a longitudinal slit opening, a spring loaded shaft roller rotatably mounted inside said housing, a flexible image curtain having one end secured to said roller shaft and its free end extendable through said slit opening of said housing at times, a light impervious curtain'secured at one end to said shaft roller above said image curtain and having its free end extendable through said slit opening at times; each of said curtains simuiltaneouslyV extendable so that when 2,sss,s24

said curtains are extended through said opening, said first mentioned curtain will automatically drop toits effective position due to gravity, means for holding said last mentioned curtain at a, substantiallyhorizontal position at times, and afi light impervious curtain at each of the two mar-V ginal edges of said second mentioned curtain.`

extending downwardly therefrom when in eil`ective position. i

4. In a device of the class described, an elon-A gated housing having a longitudinal slit opening,-

a spring loaded shaft roller rotatably mounted inv side said housing, a flexible image curtain havjf said image curtain and having its free end ex,4 tendable through said slit opening at times, an

elongated stop rod secured to said light impera` vious curtain adjacent its free end with each endy portion of said rod extending outwardly from the sides of said impervious curtain, a pair of elan-4` gated support arms pivotally secured respectively by an end to the ends of said housing and each of said arms having a slot on its other end; said arms capable of being moved longitudinally adjacent said housing at times and having means to prevent their accidental outwardly movement therefrom; said arms further capable of being manually moved outwardly from said housing to a point where the end portions respectively of said stop rod can be engaged in one of the slots fill on said arms and thereby support said light im-,g

pervious curtain in extended position from said` housing, stop means on said housing to limit the` outwardly movement therefrom of said arms,^

and a light impervious curtain at each of the two marginal edges of said second mentioned curtairr`I` extending downwardly therefrom when in eiIec-' tive position.

5. In a device of the class described, an clon-' gated housing having a longitudinal slit opening.'

a spring loaded shaft roller rotatably mounted inside said housing, a flexible image curtain 't is of said housing at times, a light impervious curtain secured at one end to said shaft roller above f, said image curtain and having its free end extendable through said slit opening at times; each of said curtains simultaneously extendable so that when said curtains are extended through said opening, said rst mentioned curtain will automatically drop to its effective position due to gravity and when said second mentioned curtain is retracted back into said housing said first mentioned curtain will simultaneously automatically be returned therein, and a light impervious curtain at each of the two marginal edges of said second mentioned curtain extending downwardly therefrom when in effective position, and

s. said third mentioned curtains capable of being folded flat against said second mentioned curtain and detachably secured thereto at times and when so secured capable of being wound upon said shaft roller with said first and second mentioned curtains.

6. In a device of the class described, an elongated housing having a slit opening. a spring loaded shaft roller rotatably mounted inside said housing, a flexible image curtain having one end f secured to said roller shaft and its free end extendable through said slit opening of said housing at times, a light impervious curtain secured to said shaft roller at one end and having its free end extendable through said slit opening at times, a means for holding said last mentioned curtain at a substantially horizontal position at times, and a light impervious curtain at each of the two marginal edges of second mentioned curtain extending downwardly therefrom when in effective positions.

WILLIAM G. DWINELL.

JOHN HOWARD ORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 253,568 Willie Feb. 14, 1882 2,029,675 Schlamp Feb. 4, 1936 2,112,579 Sohane Mar. 29, 1938 

